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LCV Victory Fund Releases First Ads of $14M Anti-Trump Campaign, Names Donald Trump ‘Dirtiest of All Time’ on 2020 Dirty Dozen

May 18, 2020

Contact: Emily Samsel, emily_samsel@lcv.org, 828-713-9647

Trump’s denial of science in response to coronavirus & climate change is ‘costing us’

Washington, D.C. — LCV Victory Fund today released the first round of high-impact digital ads and unique direct mail in its $14 million paid media program to expose the truth about Donald Trump’s environmental record, and its similarities to his coronavirus response, to voters in the battleground states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. LCV Victory Fund is partnering with Priorities USA Action for the digital programs in Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

WATCH: “Hoax”
WATCH: “Safety”

In conjunction with the release of new ads, LCV Victory Fund named Donald Trump the “Dirtiest of All Time” on its 2020 Dirty Dozen list. This unprecedented dishonor is LCV Victory Fund’s first Dirty Dozen announcement this year and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the program. Through the Dirty Dozen, LCV Victory Fund has targeted federal candidates — regardless of party affiliation — who consistently side against the environment. LCV Victory Fund’s 2020 Dirty Dozen will be a baker’s dozen, with 12 more candidate announcements to come. In 2018, LCV Victory Fund defeated 84 percent of the Dirty Dozen targets with a one-time-only double list to highlight separate Senate and House candidates. The new House members who defeated members of the 2018 Dirty Dozen earned an average LCV score of 95% in 2019 — skyrocketing from the 6% average lifetime score of the members they defeated.

“In the fifty-year history of the Dirty Dozen, no elected official has ever posed a bigger risk to our environment and our health than Donald Trump and he clearly deserves the title ‘Dirtiest of All Time,’” said Pete Maysmith, LCV Victory Fund SVP of Campaigns. “Voters need to know that Trump denies the threat of climate change just like he denied the threat of the coronavirus and it’s the public who pays the price. His refusal to listen to the experts, and his prioritizing of corporations over people hurts our communities, especially communities of color and low-income communities.” 

The paid media program includes a series of different digital ads and direct mail that use research-driven messaging about Trump’s record on climate, and its links to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the environment, and the damage he’s doing to clean air and drinkable water. One of the first ads that will run, “Hoax,” shows how Trump’s denial of science in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the climate crisis — both of which he first deemed a ‘Hoax’ — is hurting people. 

The ad says: “He denied the warnings of the coronavirus crisis, ‘This is their new hoax,’ ignored his medical experts, and we’re suffering because of it. And Donald Trump ignored 97% of climate scientists, NASA, and the Department of Defense, who agreed that climate change is real. Then put oil and coal lobbyists in charge of our environment. Trump even called climate change a hoax too. Donald Trump’s denial is costing us.”

“Donald Trump’s record on climate is self-serving, reckless, and dangerous,” said Priorities USA Executive Director Patrick McHugh. “Voters deserve to hear the truth about the existential threat that four more years of Trump represents.”

Paid media campaigns begin today in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Florida’s program will begin on May 27. High-frequency digital advertising and high repetition direct mail will be targeted at a total universe of 1.58 million “environmental swing voters” who were identified through advanced modeling techniques. The program will run until the Democratic National Convention on August 16.

Sample direct mail pieces: “Denial”; “Danger”

Additional digital ads:

WATCH: “Deny”
WATCH: “Consequences”
WATCH: “Believe”

Scripts of the five ads mentioned are below. 

“Hoax”
VO: He denied the warnings of the coronavirus crisis
Trump: ‘This is their new hoax’
VO: Ignored his medical experts
And we’re suffering because of it
And Donald Trump ignored 97% of climate scientists, NASA, and the Department of Defense
Who agreed that climate change is real
Then put oil and coal lobbyists in charge of our environment
Trump even called climate change a hoax too
Trump: ‘It’s a hoax, it’s a hoax’
VO: Donald Trump’s denial is costing us

“Safety”
Our military protects us
Their families need protection too
But Donald Trump opposed a law to clean up toxic chemicals in drinking water 
Linked to cancer on military bases
And neighboring communities
And we’re only as safe as the water we drink

“Deny”
VO: Deny, Deny, Deny
Trump denies the challenges we face
Trump denied the coronavirus
Trump: ‘This is their new hoax’
VO: Just like Trump denied climate change
Trump: ‘It’s a hoax, it’s a hoax’
VO: Ignoring scientists and medical experts
Trump’s in denial and we pay the price

“Consequences”
Toxic chemicals that cause cancer are in the water right here
And there are thousands of water danger zones just like it all over Michigan
That put our health at risk
But the plans to clean it up were opposed by Donald Trump
Medical studies show not just links to cancer but pregnancy complications 
And weakened immune systems
That may leave us more vulnerable to the coronavirus
Donald Trump has real consequences for our health

“Believe”
Trump:
‘Global warming — a lot of it’s a hoax, it’s a hoax’
VO:
But 97 percent of climate scientists believe it’s a growing threat
Instead of listening to experts, Donald Trump is firing them 
And stripping evidence from reports
But that won’t make climate change disappear

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Paid for by LCV Victory Fund, www.lcvvictoryfund.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.